Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that former state minister and Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has decided to join the BJP, does not have any ideology. "Himanta does not have any ideology. That is why he has joined a communal party," Gogoi, who is here to attend a meeting of the Niti Aayog, told the media. On 23 August 2015, Sarma had met BJP president Amit Shah at the latter's residence and announced his decision to join the party.

25-Aug-2015Sports

Paralympics medalist Rahelu to join NIS Patiala

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has appointed Paralympic medalist Rajinder Singh Rahelu as a coach at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. Rahelu, a former powerlifter, is presently working with the Punjab Sports Department. He will start coaching para-athletes at the NIS by the end of this month, the SAI has announced.The 42-year-old took a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens in the 56 kg category. It was the first powerlifting medal for India at the Paralympics. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Sports

GPS trackers used in Indian football team's training

The Indian football team implemented a player tracking system for the first time in their ongoing preparatory camp at DSK Shivajians Football Club. The players wore the GPS systems inside their vests. The technology is widely used all over the world to monitor fitness levels of footballers. The development kicked-off under national coach Stephen Constantine with sports scientist Danny Deigan monitoring the entire process, according to an All India Football Federation (AIFF) release. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Business

Indian crude oil basket at sub-$43 falls to lowest in 2015

Continuing its free fall, the Indian basket of crude oils fell over $2.50 over the weekend to $42.97 a barrel on the previous trading day before, as per official data released, even as global crude oil prices plumetted to fresh six-year lows. The Indian basket -- comprising 73 percent sour-grade Dubai and Oman crudes, and the balance in sweet-grade Brent -- fell to its lowest since December 2008 when the prices averaged $40.61 for the month, as per data with the government-run Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Science and Technology

Flipkart launches socialising feature app

Online marketplace Flipkart has launched "Ping", a mobile application feature that will help in enhancing the shopping experience of users. Using Ping, Flipkart users would be able to chat with friends while shopping, and share experiences using text, photos and emoticons in real time. The company has 50 million app-based users, which comprise 75 percent of its total users. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Politics

BJP to contest 170 seats in Bihar

A day after two of its allies said seat sharing in Bihar must conclude within a week, a BJP leader announced on Tuesday that his party will contest 170 of the 243 assembly seats. "The BJP will contest nearly 170 seats, there is no question of anything less than that," Ashwani Kumar Choubey, an MP and a former minister, said. Choubey was replying to statements from leaders of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) that the BJP must contest only 102 seats and leave the remaining 141 to its three allies. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Others

Soldier killed in Pakistan firing

Indian soldier was killed on Tuesday in unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, sparking gun battles between the two armies. A police officer said that the Pakistan Army began firing on Badal post in Nowgam Kupwara sector in Kupwara district. It led to the death of a soldier from Kumaon Regiment. "Effective retaliation has started by troops from the Indian side," the officer said. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Politics

Commitments will be honoured, Modi assures Chandrababu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that all commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act will be honoured.Modi has directed the NITI Aayog to prepare a roadmap to fulfill the commitments made in the Act. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said this after Naidu met Modi in the national capital. Jaitely, who was also present in the meeting which lasted for one-and-half hours, said the issue of special status was discussed in detail.

25-Aug-2015Entertainment

India to host 2018 Theatre Olympics

India will host the 2018 edition of the Theatre Olympics, an official announced on 24 August 2015. "India has been given the right to host the 2018 edition," said National School of Drama (NSD) director Waman Kendre during the inauguration of a five-day festival of northeastern plays, "Poorvotta Rashtriya Rang Manch". NSD chairman Ratan Thiyam returned to India on Sunday after attending a meeting in the Netherlands where the decision was taken. Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Science and Technology

Countdown for Indian rocket GSLV launch to begin on August 26

The 29-hour countdown for the launch of GSat-6 communication satellite using GSLV rocket will start on August 26 at 11.52 a.m, the Indian space agency said. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Mission Readiness Review Committee and the Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) have cleared the August 27 evening launch. The communication satellite will be launched with ISRO's heavier rocket geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV). Source: IANS

25-Aug-2015Politics

Counting of Bengaluru civic body's votes on Tuesday

Counting of votes polled on 22 August 2015 to elect representatives of the Bengaluru civic corporation will be held on 25 August 2015 amid tight security, an official said. "Arrangements have been made at 27 centres across the city to count votes polled in 197 civic wards and results are expected by late afternoon," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner Kumar G. Naik told reporters. Source: IANS